Federal overreach or public land preservation?
A young South Dakota ranching couple has been criminally charged with allegedly stealing federal government property – by maintaining a fence erected by the family some 75 years ago. Charles and Heather Maude, responding to claims from the National Forest Service that their ranch interferes with federal grasslands, requested a land survey to clarify legal boundaries. Instead, they were served with unannounced federal criminal indictments by a US Forest Special Agent in full tactical gear. Farmers and ranchers nationwide are crying foul.
A Family Farming Affair
The Maudes are not a large industrial food corporation – they sell their beef and pork directly from their ranch to consumers. Some witnesses say the family has grazed the roughly 50 acres in dispute since about 1910 with no…
